Kolkata: One of the owners of the cracker factory in Dholahat of South 24-Parganas where eight persons, including four children, were killed in an explosion was arrested on Wednesday.
Chandrakanta Banik was produced at the Kakdwip court and remanded to police custody. The other owner of the cracker factory identified as Tushar Banik, brother of Chandrakanta, is still absconding. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her media interaction urged the people not to hoard crackers or inflammable materials in the house. Referring to the incident of Dholahat, she said that in this case the owner was a license holder.
She also stated in the Gujarat incident where many people also died the owner was not a license holder.
She also stated that many people plot such incidents in March to raise insurance claims. “I have been seeing for a long time that maximum fire incidents occur this time of the year. It hurts me to see that all members of a family died. Why is it so important to hoard crackers in a house? Should one keep crackers with gas cylinders? We should all take lessons so that we all should be alert. Life is so precious. Despite being warned, many are keeping various materials in plastic godowns,” she said.
On Monday night, an explosion took place at the residence of Chandrakanta and his family which claimed the lives of eight persons in Dholahat. On Tuesday, Additional Director General (ADG), South Bengal, Supratim Sarkar informed that the cracker factory was about 100 meters away from the house of Banik who stored the crackers inside his house which somehow came in contact with fire and exploded.
Sarkar said a detailed probe will be conducted to find out whether the duo had any licence. The ADG alleged that the explosion is the outcome of lack of awareness and irresponsible activity. He also informed that Chandrakanta was arrested earlier with banned firecrackers during 2022. He was on bail in the said case. Sarkar also informed that the said business was running for the past 10 years.
ADG South Bengal had also informed that a case has been registered against the two joint owners of cracker factory, identified as Chandrakanta Banik and Tushar Banik, on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other allegations along with necessary sections under West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Act.